Many of Us Still Overlook Critical Facts About Sugar

Functional Nutrition Practitioner Margaret Floyd Barry on what we need to know, how blood sugar works, and the foods to avoid.

Sugar is the most divisive ingredient in our modern diets. It's the culprit of countless health issues, from inflammation to raised blood pressure. But we can't deny that it makes things taste good—so good that we become addicted. It's obvious in some foods, but hidden in so many others. Sugar is everywhere, yet its impact is still widely misunderstood.

Margaret Floyd Barry is working to change this. A functional nutritionist, Margaret has an accessible way of breaking down the convoluted but critical topics of what we eat today. We say "accessible" for a good reason: Before she discovered the power of whole clean foods, Margaret was a self-described "total mess" who was on a constant "energy roller coaster." She was a vegetarian who thought she was healthy, yet she was eating starches—aka sugar—that impacted her moods, energy levels, and overall well-being. "I had migraines all the time," she tells us. "I had severe digestive issues."

As she dug into her nutrition education, Margaret learned how invasive sugar is. So, she overhauled her diet and discovered an entirely new world of eating unprocessed foods free from all the hidden sugars. This new approach to eating left her feeling incredible. We love how she puts it: "Life on the other side of sugar feels better than you probably even know possible."

Today, as the founder of Eat Naked Kitchen, Margaret educates about the metabolic and life-changing impacts of clearing out sugar and leaning into whole foods. She spoke with PrimaFoodie about the sneaky impacts of sugar, how our blood sugar really works, and the facts people still overlook but need to know.

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The Beauty Industry Creates 120 Billion Units of Plastic Waste Every Year. Melodie Reynolds Shows Us a Better Way Forward.

"You don't need seven lipsticks, but the beauty industry will tell you that you should buy seven lipsticks," says Melodie Reynolds.

There's a charge behind Reynold's voice. Still, the founder of ELATE Beauty, a sustainable cosmetics company, admits she too was once duped by "the shame-based marketing" fueled by large beauty companies. She was even inadvertently part of it earlier in her career, as she worked in beauty marketing and sales for large companies. She began to see the unethical pressure behind these companies and a drive to push people to buy more. The businesses were creating more products housed in packages that ended up in landfills—an estimated 120 billion pieces worth each year.

The tipping point for Reynolds came during a meeting. When she and colleagues were discussing ways to create storytelling around potential green initiatives, a senior employee casually said, "just put it in a green bottle." It was a hard lesson on the realness of greenwashing, says Reynolds. "It was never more apparent to me than in that moment that I was in the wrong place."

Reynolds put herself in the right place. Fueled with a drive to create beauty products that were kind to people and the planet, she founded Elate Beauty, a B-Corp-certified ethical cosmetics line focused on refillable packaging. Since its conception in 2024, ELATE has diverted 1.3 million packages from going to landfills—a feat for a single company. As Reynolds says, the journey has been about "how we can take a product from idea, from conception all the way to end of life, and make every single moment of that product's life cycle better—for the people making it, for the person buying it, and for the planet."

Reynolds walks us through more of her journey, starting a conscious brand. As she shares with us, our self-care rituals should never be harmful and filled with shame; they should be only practices that lift us. 

Melodie Reynolds on Creating a Better Beauty Future

#1: Environmental Citizenship at Its Core

"The thing that always attracted me the most to the beauty industry was the ability to help people feel good about themselves and use marketing as a tool for storytelling, to allow individuals to determine how the things they purchased made their lives better, and all without costing the planet. The very first salon I ever worked in was an environmentally friendly salon where we refilled all our shampoos. This was back in 1999! So being a good environmental citizen has always been important to me."

#2: The Shame-Based Marketing of Beauty

"As I worked in the beauty industry, I started to see that the values I held strongly were only very surface values [in the companies]. This all started to accumulate for me around 2008 when I was in a big marketing meeting at the company I worked for because a new demographic was identified: the LOHAS— a lifestyle of health and sustainability—demographic. It was a demographic that transcended socioeconomic status and included all genders and ages. These were individuals who wanted to choose products about living a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

#3: The Unsustainable Issue of Products

"The beauty industry gets people to buy tons of products, and all of that product ends up in the landfill. Then they feel bad about themselves, so then they buy more products. It's just a vicious cycle, contributing to the statistic of 120 billion plastic packages being made every year for the beauty industry. All of those end up in the landfill. We now have new recycling programs that are helping to try to curb some of that waste, but the biggest problem is that all of those packages still get made. That's enough for everyone on the planet to have a bag full of plastic stuff that they're going to dispose of every year. Those things inspired me to look at how we could do things differently."

#4: Bringing the Kindness and Joy Back to Beauty

"I started to feel like it was a burden putting on my makeup or trying to choose a new skin cream. It felt like it was something I was being forced to participate in. When all those things came together and converged for me, I thought beauty was supposed to be about joy. It's supposed to be about using the tools of adornment to perform your beauty ritual every morning and put your best face forward, whether it's makeup or brushing your teeth. The fact that we all have some type of beauty ritual in the morning means that we all have products that we are required to use, so all of those products should be better for the planet. And they should be reusable and refillable. They should be made with materials that are not polluting the environment. They should be made by individuals that aren't forced into slave labor. The beauty industry is fraught with just as many issues. So, for me, it was about how we can take a product from idea, from conception, all the way to end of life and make every single moment of that product's life cycle better—for the people making it, better for the person buying it, and for the planet. It is about having more time and space for joy, and the big part of that joy is not having a bunch of stuff you are ultimately responsible for throwing away.”

#5: Looking Ahead, One Refill at a Time

“Part of the problem is that we get that little delicious dopamine hit when we buy something— that's why retail therapy is real. So what we're trying to do is shift that little dopamine hit to when you refill something. When speaking in public, I have stood up many times and said, 'Who can honestly say they've ever actually finished a full tube of lipstick?' We're trying to create those opportunities.

We're a B Corp-certified company that was important to me from the start. We have a global beauty coalition of all beauty companies that are B Corps, where I sit on that board. One of the things we talk about is how we can use business as a force for good and use the beauty industry as a force for good rather than a tool of oppression. This has all led me from loving lipstick and wanting to help people feel good about themselves to global legislation to ensure that corporations are held accountable for the waste they produce.”

#6: Changing Our Language and Actions

“At ELATE, we've shied away as an organization from using the word ‘consumer’ because when you're trying to create a movement that is completely different from what everyone is used to, you need to change your language. We say 'environmental citizen,' because that is someone thoughtful about resources that they consume. And our beauty consumers are not beauty consumers; they're beauty citizens. That is where ELATE shines. Elate means joyful or prideful, and that's really what it is about. It's also an anagram for ‘everyone who loves a thoughtful experience’ because we felt that so many products are made without the thought and the intention behind them. So it was important to us to make sure that we always hold that in our hearts that everything we make is thoughtful.”

To learn more about ELATE Beauty, visit elatebeauty.com

Interview and words by Stacey Lindsay for PrimaFoodie.

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Is Raw Milk Safe and Nutritious? An Expert Weighs In

Raw milk, sometimes referred to as unpasteurized milk, is milk from an animal’s mammary glands that has not been heated through a process called pasteurization. There is a schism between two general theories of whether raw milk is safe and beneficial: Some believe raw milk can lead to health consequences and that the heat treatment of pasteurization is "crucial," as the CDC puts it, for killing germs and keeping milk "safe." Others believe raw milk is highly beneficial because it contains essential fats, anti-inflammatory and digestive enzymes, proteins, and bioavailable vitamins and minerals that pasteurization commonly kills. Mike McAfee, founder of the Raw Milk Institute and owner of RAW Farm, is in the latter camp. When milk is pasteurized, its natural nutrients "are destroyed, inactivated, or denatured," he says. 

At PrimaFoodie, we’re like McAfee and on team raw milk. But we still find this general topic and the pros and cons people toss around it fascinating. Interestingly, when we looked carefully at the evidence for both sides of the conversation (as we always aim to do in our food reporting), we saw growing support for raw milk and a swelling interest in its pure, bioavailable nutrients.

To dig in deeper, we contacted McAfee for his take on why he believes raw milk offers us immense nutritional benefits. As vocal and passionate about raw milk as he is, McAfee understands that so many people are operating under the long-held rhetoric (and bias) that pasteurization is key. But, like us, his agenda is to give the facts, as choosing to drink raw milk is personal, as is all eating. "I have a saying that I created many years ago," he says, "and that is: We never sell raw milk; we teach it."

4 Things to Know about Raw Milk—from Mike McAfee, Founder of the Raw Milk Institute

#1: Raw Milk Helps to Support Immunity

Raw milk is rich in bioactive nutrients that research points to building a healthy immune system. McAfee says the lynchpin is that raw dairy is much like human breast milk: both are fresh, natural, and unprocessed. He points out the widespread medical support for breastfeeding, including from large organizations such as the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association that tout breastfeeding's benefits for children, which include higher test scores and lower asthma. "That mammalian milk is a mirror of raw milk from cows, goats, and sheep," he adds. "I have been in front of crowds of people and spoken all over the world on this subject. I always start by saying, 'Let's not talk about raw milk. Let's talk about breast milk. Let's talk about breastfeeding. Let's talk about our gut immune system.'"

#2: Studies Link Raw Milk to Better Health

The science supporting raw milk is growing. McAfee and his advocates at the Raw Milk Institute corral the latest studies showing that raw milk consumption is associated with lower rates of allergies and other common ailments, including asthma, respiratory infections, and eczema.

#3: Pasteurization Kills Beneficial Enzymes

The FDA claims that pasteurization does not reduce the nutritional value of milk, but McAfee and the studies he references say otherwise. "What they're saying nutrition is, and what I'm saying nutrition is are two different languages." The FDA focuses on sugar, fat, and protein quantities, which remain similar after pasteurizing milk. McAfee says what's critical is that raw milk has more bioactives than pasteurized milk. That's because the high temperatures that heat the milk destroy and damage many delicate nutrients and gut-healthy bacteria in natural raw milk, such as raw whey protein, alkaline phosphatase, lactoferrin, and more. For these reasons, conventional pasteurized milk is often harder for people to digest and can lead to digestive issues.

#4: To Drink Safe Raw Milk, Ask Questions!

This is loaded and very important, says McAfee. Raw milk is beneficial, but not all raw milk is safe. That’s why it’s critical to know your farmer. At the Raw Milk Institute, he and his peers have created a set of "Common Standards" to guide raw dairy producers and support them in following the strictest safety measures in cultivating milk for human consumption. He and his team at RAW Farms regularly test for E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and other bacteria. 

For us consumers, McAfree says to find a local dairy producer on realmilk.com that specializes in raw milk for human consumption, reach out to them, and ask about their practices. "Go get to know them," he says. "Talk to their customers. Find out how long they've been doing this. Ask them some pointed questions from the Raw Milk Institute Common Standards, like how often they do testing, how they prepare their udders, what their maintenance program is, and how fast they chill." If the raw milk producer has integrity and produces a clean and safe product, they will readily answer your questions. It's not to pressure them, McAfee adds, but to get to know them better so you can become their customer and safely drink their raw milk. 

To learn more about Mike McAfee and raw milk, visit rawmilkinstitude.org and rawfarmusa.com.

Interview and words by Stacey Lindsay for PrimaFoodie.

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Makenna Held, Host of the TV Series ‘La Pitchoune,’ Wants Us to Have More Fun in the Kitchen

Catch a glimpse of Makenna Held in the kitchen, and it becomes evident quickly: The writer, entrepreneur, and cooking teacher likes to have fun while she's whipping together ingredients—and she wants all of us to experience the same. Of course, it helps that Makenna teaches in Julia Child's former summer home La Pitchoune, which she and her husband purchased and now live with their kids and run their recipe-free cooking school aptly named the same. (La Pitchoune is also the name of their TV series about their cooking school.) Still, wherever Makenna is—in her native America or across the pond—she aims for a more inclusive, kinder approach to nourishing ourselves. "Food shouldn't be about stress," she says.

We caught up with Makenna over the summer to ask more about her approach to cooking and the most significant differences between our food system in the States and where she lives in France. Makenna, who is generous and kind, offers her insights, most of which are refreshingly outside of any boxes—or, as she would say, free of structured recipes. "A lot of the work that I do comes from the fact that I didn't have a choice," she says, "because I was never going to fit an ideal of what society had for me."

A Conversation with Makenna Held

How did moving to the South of France change your life in terms of how you cook and approach your day-to-day living?

Oh, that's a really good question! A lot of people talk about my move as being this massive change. I would say that our focus on cultural differences when it comes to Europe and America is almost an obsession. I think we have a lot more in common than we realize. A lot of Americans are European immigrants and are a few generations removed. So, Europe is more alike to the United States than we often admit. I would say my move didn't change much of my daily life. I still run an American business. I still have an American family. A lot of it is utterly familiar, in that there are grocery stores, farmers markets, and other things. The fact that it comes in a different language is hugely different, of course, and the products might be different, but there's so much that's the same.

Also, so much of this depends on where you're from in the United States. I spend my summers in Door County, Wisconsin, and I would say that the food system here is better than that in France. That being the local food system. What I get in the restaurants isn't necessarily the local ingredients where they're serving supper club grub, and where it may be delicious food, but it's made of, say, mass-produced chickens. So much of how you live your life has to do with personal choices and not your location. So, in answering this question, I chose to make the changes; the place didn't change it for me.

Education is a massive part of what you do in your TV show and your cooking classes, as is personal exploration and being creative in the kitchen. When it comes to cooking and nourishing ourselves, do you feel there's something people miss out on or overlook?

I would say that a lot of the ways that the system encourages us to feed ourselves in the United States is what causes a lot of the dysfunction. Having to find six exact ingredients and going to six grocery stores to find those ingredients and then facing the time wasted when one is sold out, well, that time could be spent being creative in the kitchen. One of the huge differences between how the average American and the average European cooks is that most European cooks don't follow recipes to a T. They have a few techniques they know how to utilize, and they have then figured out what's available at the market today. A huge difference between the European food system and the American system in general is that many year-round things, even in the large grocery stores, aren't present. Sure, you still may get cherry tomatoes in the winter in France, but you're not going to get mealy, hot-house-grown, no-flavor tomatoes in France. A lot of these things that we have become accustomed to in the United States year-round aren't year-round in Europe. So you're forced to think differently about food, intrinsically differently. That's a huge point of what makes the two systems so different, and it's probably what's changed me the most regarding my approach. But I had already made those decisions while living in the States. I made the decision to buy locally and check where it was coming from and how it was grown. Doing that in Europe is easier because there isn't that temptation. Even when I'm in the United States at Christmas and I see that hothouse tomato that looks red on the outside, I want to grab it. I think, maybe this one will be good. And they never are!

Much of this has to do with deciding to shop locally and mastering some techniques. If you master a dry roast and come up with a few sauces, those can become staples that make it much faster and easier to feed oneself. It is so much more fun to go into a market and buy things because they're actually beautiful and in season rather than because you need this amount of this on your list.

"Fun" is the operative word here because you look like you have lots of it in your kitchen. There's the sense that we don't have to do it all perfectly.

A lot of this is cultural, right? The obsession with Instagram-worthy dishes is because that's what you see the food stylist has styled. That pull to do that is natural. Or if you make it look pretty, your fussy toddler will eat it. Maybe that works one day but not the other. And there's the pressure to ensure your kids get the nutrition they need, because maybe what they're getting at school or at their friend's houses is not what you want.

In American culture, I've noticed that there's just a lot of pressure and stress around food. I don't feel any pressure, stress, or worry around food with anyone in my world. I have I know people who have made choices because they're celiac or face other health issues. But in my world, there isn't the stress you see so much of in other places. This also has to do with how everything is set up. In America, you have aisle upon aisle of fast chips. In Europe, generally, your chip aisle is much smaller and your cookie aisle is much smaller. The shelf lives are much shorter. The way that Ritz crackers are made in Europe is different from how they're made in the United States because of how the ingredients have been approved or not approved. It's those sorts of things that create stress. Food shouldn't be about stress, but it often becomes stressful, especially when it's made of things your body rejects.

You support the idea of recipe-free cooking. How has this approach expanded your life, in and out of the kitchen, and that of your cooking students?

When we look through one aspect of our life through a new lens and change the focus, we start to see new things. Many people make fun of me for what I do because they think it's so flippant. But it's actually not flippant. The number of people I've had in my kitchen crying because they were browbeaten by their mother, emotionally, about how they were terrible cooks growing up! Or maybe they grew up with trauma and sadness and hurt around food, whether that's eating disorders or family issues or all of those things. When you realize that you actually can be in control of the outcome, and you don't have to rely on an expert to be in control of the outcome, that can be so freeing. I am not anti-recipe. I just believe there are other ways to teach cooking than just using recipes. If you're teaching a gymnast, you may start with a recipe of a somersault, and eventually the gymnast will figure out how to do their own tricks. With cooking, we can start to figure out our own things. And that opens other places in people's lives. 

Makenna Held is an author, entrepreneur, recipe-free cooking instructor, and host of La Pitchoune: Cooking in France, on the Magnolia Network. You can learn more at makennaheld.com.

Interview and story by @staceylindsay.

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One Founder on the Everyday Way to Save Money and Support the Environment

When we think about climate change, we tend to focus on the obvious culprits, like car emissions and industrial pollution, says entrepreneur Jan Rem. But there's another contributor, one that's less visible but as significant lurking in our kitchens: food waste.

"The repercussions of food waste and its profound effect on the environment and climate change have become a pressing global and personal concern," Rem tells us, adding that modern consumer culture has fostered a "throwaway society” of overconsumption and a casual attitude towards wasting food. “This mindset has exacerbated the food waste problem, with many individuals discarding food items without considering the environmental consequences."

Rem is doing her part to tackle the problem with Ambrosia Bags, simple linen zipper produce bags she created in partnership with her son. Ambrosia offers a sustainable, convenient way to extend the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables. “By making this small change in how we store our produce, we can make a significant difference in our homes and beyond,” says Rem. 

We caught up with the founder and advocate to dig deeper into the issue of food waste and how we all can work to tackle this problem, one kitchen at a time. 

Talking with Jan Rem

Research states Americans waste 80 to 90 billion pounds of food annually. What is at the top of your mind that you want people to know?

Food waste ranks among the top three most significant food-related concerns for consumers, but there is a substantial gap between awareness and action. Educational initiatives aimed at enhancing public understanding of food waste and its repercussions are falling short of solving the problem. To truly address this global issue, we must move beyond mere awareness and implement concrete strategies to reduce food waste at all levels of the supply chain, from production to consumption. Only through concerted efforts and behavioral changes can we hope to mitigate the environmental impact of food waste and create a more sustainable future for our planet.

What personally inspired you to start Ambrosia?

Recognizing linen's beneficial and preservative qualities, I envisioned a world where everyone could access an all-natural linen ziplock produce refrigerator storage bag. My dream was to provide a sustainable solution for storing fresh produce that could extend its shelf life while promoting eco-friendly practices.

How does extending our produce's life help save food and reduce greenhouse gas emissions? 

As fruits and vegetables decompose, they release potent greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, primarily methane and carbon dioxide. These gasses trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, accelerating global warming. What's particularly alarming is that methane, the primary gas emitted by decaying food, is over 20 times more powerful at trapping heat than the carbon dioxide produced by vehicle emissions.

The scale of this problem is staggering. Globally, food waste is responsible for a whopping 11 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions related to our food systems. This means that the apples forgotten in your fridge or the lettuce wilting in your compost bin contribute to climate change in a measurable way.

By understanding the significant climate impact of food waste, we can take more informed actions to reduce our carbon footprint. Simple steps like meal planning, proper food storage, and composting can make a real difference in mitigating this often-overlooked source of greenhouse gasses.

How can better storing our fruits and veggies help us save money?

Every piece of produce we discard represents hard-earned money literally thrown away. By preserving our fruits and vegetables longer, Ambrosia Bags help us maximize our grocery budget.Beyond personal benefits, reducing food waste has far-reaching environmental implications. When we throw away less produce, we're not just saving money; we're conserving the valuable natural resources used to grow, transport, and store that food.

And there's the emotional well-being. The guilt associated with wasting food is a burden many of us carry. Ambrosia Bags alleviate this emotional toll, making us feel more responsible and satisfied with our consumption habits.

The problem with food waste and environmental issues can be overwhelming, perhaps causing some of us to feel lost about how we can do our part. What do you say to the person who feels overwhelmed?

I firmly believe that each of us has the potential to make a significant impact by taking responsibility for our actions. When we commit to making even the smallest changes to our counterproductive habits, we contribute to a collective effort that can transform both our lives and our environment. This is how we truly empower ourselves and create lasting change. By actively seeking sustainable solutions, we can simultaneously reduce our environmental footprint and alleviate the burden of self-imposed guilt. While these changes may initially require additional time or effort, the long-term benefits far outweigh the short-term inconveniences. The virtuous cycle of giving back to ourselves and our planet creates a powerful ripple effect that extends far beyond our individual actions.

What daily actions do you take to reduce waste and live more sustainably?

First and foremost, I prioritize best practices as a conscious consumer, which means I avoid overbuying and over planting in my garden. After returning home from the market or harvesting from my garden, I take the time to properly store all our fresh produce in Ambrosia Produce Bags. This gives me peace of mind, knowing that our precious produce will stay fresh until we're ready to enjoy it.

Additionally, I cherish the tradition passed down from my grandmother and mother of transforming leftovers. It's remarkable how a single dish can be reinvented by simply adding a few extra ingredients or by enjoying it either cold or hot.

I also make it a point to compost all food scraps in a closed system, enriching our garden soil and contributing to future harvests. This holistic approach not only reduces waste but also fosters a sustainable cycle of growth and nourishment.

What do you love most about running your company, Ambrosia, and educating people?

What I find truly remarkable and humbling is the way customers reach out to express their gratitude for the Ambrosia Produce Bags. One might assume that selling a simple item would be straightforward, but the reality is far more complex.

Bringing a product to market requires immense determination and perseverance. However, our customers' unwavering support fueled the resolve to work even harder and reach as many people as possible. Each time we engaged in face-to-face sales, something extraordinary would happen. Return customers would approach us, sharing how Ambrosia Bags had transformed their lives. They would even stop passersby to spread the word about Ambrosia. Witnessing people offer genuine testimonials about something I created is an indescribable feeling. These heartfelt interactions reinforced Ambrosia's value and its positive impact on people's lives.

Our experiences have taught us that true business success isn't just about sales figures or profit margins. It's about creating something that resonates with people on a personal level and improves their quality of life. The stories and testimonials from our customers have always been the driving force and reason behind our continued growth and success.

You can learn more about Jan and Ambrosia Produce Bags here. 

Interview and story by @staceylindsay.

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Plastic Is Everywhere. These Founders Are Building a Beauty Company Without It

By Stacey Lindsay

Plastic is part of countless items we reach for, from our phones to our toothbrushes to our clothing. It's a fast, inexpensive, malleable resource to create, making it a go-to material for manufacturers worldwide. But just as plastic offers practicality, its widespread use and poor waste management have led to gigantic environmental challenges and personal consequences. More and more studies show how this forever material takes residence in our bodies, oceans, landfills, and air. Plastic is everywhere.

What is encouraging is to see innovative companies creating ways around a dependence on plastic. Case in point: Flavedo and Albedo. Founded by Aleks Allen, Emily Perrett, and Toby Norris, three creative and design agency alums, this Australian-based makeup company uses zero plastics in its packaging. It's a rare feat in this industry, given that the beauty industry is overflowing with products housed in plastics, most of which are not even recyclable. This fact concerned the founders, so much so that they had to create something different. "We wanted to reconcile our love of makeup and our concern around plastic packaging and landfill," Allen says. "It was one of those ideas that just wouldn't go away—so we decided it was the right time to build our own."

Talking Plastic-Free Makeup and Innovation with Aleks Allen

What concerns you most about the plastic in our lives today? And how does the cosmetics industry, specifically, contribute to plastic waste?

We love makeup but have always been freaked out by plastic and landfill. Every piece of plastic ever made is still on Earth somewhere, unless it's been burnt. That's a really confronting thought. 

Every year, the beauty industry produces at least 120 billion pieces of plastic packaging. Most of those—the pumps, custom bottles, lids, and palettes—aren't or can't be recycled. The US data says that 91 of those units aren't recycled, and Australia is not much better, at 85 percent. It just seems wrong that your eyeshadow palette should live 500 years longer than you do. 

So, the plastic problem is huge, and recycling plastic won't fix it. We have to stop the new plastic flooding the market every day, which means viable alternatives are needed.

For your company, what do you use in plastic's stead?

We use aluminum because it has the highest recycling rate of all materials, and the process itself is light on emissions. Where that doesn't work for the formula, we use small amounts of glass, with natural cork-lined lids to keep our highlighters airtight. Our secondary packaging is all FSC-certified card and printed with soy-based inks. We use paper tape and untreated boxes. There is zero plastic anywhere. No tubs, no lids, no seals, no nothing.

What are the challenges of creating a beauty brand using no plastic? And what are the joys?

Launching a business during COVID was by far the biggest challenge. Those shipping delays really kept us on edge. From a production POV, developing an airtight lid for our High Glow without using a PE liner for the lid was a pretty big manufacturing and design hurdle. We didn't want to change the mousse formulation, so we wound up using cork instead. Unexpected, but it looks good and does the job perfectly.

The joys are getting a packaging solve that works. And also, that it doesn't force a consumer compromise on aesthetic or product performance.  That's the most rewarding. 

How do you aim to rise above all the plastic clutter and capitalistic noise that is so loud today? 

We focus on what we can control. We built a sustainable business so that we can keep making plastic-free products, one at a time. We hope that this year, sustainability finally comes for beauty. The industry needs to become more aware of the role it plays in our global plastic problem. It really needs to have its "fast fashion—KeepCup year."

To learn more about Flavedo and Albedo, visit flavedoandalbedo.com,

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This Mom and Toxicology Researcher Couldn't Find Healthy Kid Snacks—So She Made Her Own

Before founding DeeBee's Organics, Dionne Laslo-Baker, PhD, was frustrated. Nearly all the snacks she found for her kids were filled with chemical ingredients. "I found it challenging to find snacks my kids could enjoy without worrying about artificial additives and flavors," she tells us. 

Like many founders, Dionne took this challenge into her own hands and created her own: DeeBee's Organics, fruit-filled freeze pops and Italian ices made of pure fruit juice and purees and zero fillers.

We caught up with Dionne, who previously worked as a toxicology researcher, to ask how we can all source clean foods and what she wants every consumer to know. 

A Conversation with Dionne Laslo-Baker, PhD

You hold a Ph.D. in maternal-fetal toxicology and worked as a toxicology researcher. What have you brought from your toxicology research to your business, DeeBee's Organics?

My research focused on the effects of chemical exposure during pregnancy on fetal development. This background gave me a deep understanding of organic and natural products science and the importance of avoiding harmful chemicals and additives. At DeeBee's Organics, I apply this knowledge to ensure that our products meet the highest safety and quality standards. 

One of the key things I learned during my education was how to find the answer to difficult questions. Using research and testing, I can separate the facts from the hype and go straight to the source of the science. 

Take us back to before you founded your business. As a mom looking for healthy snacks for your child, what concerned you most, and how did the idea to start DeeBees come about?

I was deeply concerned about the lack of healthy, additive-free snacks for children. One afternoon, while my kids and I were busy in the kitchen—one making tea and the other making popsicles—there was an argument about who Mommy should help. Amid this, my eldest shouted, "Mommy, let's make Teasicles." And there it was. That simple yet brilliant idea inspired the creation of a brand centered around delicious, real fruit-based foods and a commitment to clean ingredients. This idea evolved into our SuperFruit Freezie Pops, which are made with 100 percent fruit juice and puree. 

I also wanted to teach my kids that it's possible to align business with personal values. At DeeBee's, we are proud to be the first B Corporation on Vancouver Island, and we actively support social and environmental causes through initiatives like the DreamLauncher program. This program, which I envision as my ultimate legacy, empowers employees to drive positive change. I aim to build a business with a soul, demonstrating that success and values go hand in hand.

You've created DeeBee's to be both organic and shelf-stable. It seems so many foods today compromise quality and are laden with chemicals to be shelf-stable.  How do you maintain quality in such a giant industry?

When we included "organic" in our company name, it was because I believe it is the foundation for ensuring we always make products I would be proud to give my kids. In a time of rising costs, it is easy for competitors to compromise on organic standards. We will never stray from this commitment. This is about what we feed our kids, how we treat the planet, and how we support the farmers growing our foods. 

Taste is always the priority for our customers. Our team focuses on combining quality ingredients with delicious flavor. Having a well-developed global supply chain with strategic partners allows us to maintain this high standard.

What do you wish people knew more of when it comes to their shelf-stable snacks? 

I wish people knew more about the importance of reading ingredient labels and understanding what goes into their shelf-stable snacks. Many conventional products on store shelves are loaded with artificial additives, preservatives, and unhealthy ingredients to extend their shelf life.

Do you have tips for moms—and anyone—sourcing foods that are better for us?

We often prioritize organic fruits and vegetables, but it's equally important to consider items like freezies and fruit snacks, as they can also contain pesticides and herbicides from their ingredients. Making the right choices can sometimes be overwhelming. I have always used the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen list to prioritize which fruits and vegetables to purchase as organic for maximum impact on my family. 

Lastly, how can we all advocate for more quality foods?

By committing to buying only organic, we help the farms we purchase from grow their businesses and support their workers. These farmers are the backbone of the organic food movement and need our support to flourish.

To learn more about Dionne Laslo-Baker, PhD and DeeBees Organics, visit deebeeorganics.com 

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Chris Carter on Whole Animal Butchery, Meat Industry Loopholes, and Why “Pasture-Raised” Is Essential

When you know the story behind something, you enjoy it more, says Chris Carter, the co-founder of Porter Road, an ethical butcher based in Nashville. “It becomes an experience when you know the background." For Carter, a storied chef passionate about local ingredients, the history behind the meats he sells is as important as the product. 

He and his business partner, James Peisker, met while working in the kitchen of one of Nashville's most prominent restaurants. As Carter says, they 'hit it off' and shared the same values for whole foods and ethical farming. Quickly after meeting, they decided to start a catering business together. It took off, but Carter says there was a giant pain point: Finding local meat from animals humanely raised fully on pasture with no antibiotics or hormones was nearly impossible. 

"We would find farmers that were doing things that we consider the right way, and we'd fall in love with them, their families, the way they cared for the land, the way they care for their animals, and the quality of their product, but the only option would be to buy it frozen and often poorly butchered," says Carter. "We just knew there had to be a better way."

That better way resulted in Porter Road, which has gained a wildly popular following due to its kind, ethical, and genuinely sustainable approach to butchery. Nichole sat with Carter to learn more about what makes Carter and Peisker's approach unique from conventional methods. Here are four points from their conversation illuminating what exactly is ethical butchery and what we should be asking about our meat.

#1: The Merits of Whole Animal Butchery 

Most large-scale meat factories employ a type of butchery that requires an assembly-line style that thrives off of underpaid workers and only uses parts of the animal, resulting in often unethical working conditions and wasted meat. Carter and Peisker run a "whole animal butchery," meaning that they buy the entire animal from an ethical farmer, "not just the strips and tenderloins and rib eyes," adds Carter. Whole butchery is done by hand and uses the entire animal, leaving nothing to waste. "It was about supporting that agriculture by buying the whole animal, buying it at a higher price, a premium over the market, and supporting that farmer."

#2: The Multilayers and Misunderstandings of the Conventional Meat Industry 

It's common knowledge that the conventional meat industry is rife with animal mistreatment and runs on the focus to make a profit. But many of us do not know that there are copious layers to the industry, from where the animal is first born to where it gets shipped to be fattened to where it gets slaughtered. According to Carter, most meat animals in the US start in ethical environments, meaning they're raised on pasture and not in confinement. Things change, however, when they reach a yearling weight. "Because farmers don't have a lucrative outlet through which they can sell those animals," Carter says. So, to make money, the farmers must sell the yearlings off into the commodity industry, which is fickle and fluctuates according to the industry demand. From there, the animals get moved around to feedlots and packing houses, where they fall victim to confinement, illness, and abuse.

On the contrary, Carter and Peisker work directly with the farmers so that the animals have an ethical life and don't go from place to place. "We step in before those animals go to a sell barn or brokers at that yearling weight. We step into that operation with that farmer and say, 'Keep these animals on your pasture, raise them naturally, give them this non-GMO feed […] let them grow to a full harvest weight."

#3: Why Pasture-Raised Beef Is Essential

Many meat companies use loopholes and jargon to make their meat seem more ethical than it is. The one modifier Carter says he and Peisker stand by is "pasture-raised." This means that the animals are raised 100 percent on pasture. "Getting the animal a natural habitat in which it lives its life" is important, he continues. Beef marketed as "grass-fed" can still mean the animal lives in confinement but was fed grass. We "chose pasture-raised as the term that we wanted to hang our hat on because there are no loopholes. The animals have access to their natural environment and live there their entire lives. It's not that it's shipped somewhere else and fed a feed that allows you to put a claim on a package."  

#4: When In Doubt, Go Visit the Farm

"We are a meat company that wants you to know how the sausage is made," says Carter. He implores people to call Porter Road or ask any butchery or farmer about their practices. It’s a positive sign when the farmers are transparent, open, and invite you to their farm. "We own a butcher shop where people would come in the door and say, 'How can you charge so much for meat?’ And my answer is the same: How could [others] charge so little?’” says Carter. “It is the price of real food. We are very proud of our processes and very transparent." 

We pulled this wisdom from Nichole's original conversation with Chris Carter on "The PrimaFoodie Podcast." You can listen to their entire conversation here. 

4 Practices for Deeper Meaning, Vitality, and Balance

Hilda Labrada Gore has single-handedly expanded how we view taking a positive and proactive approach to our health. The renowned explorer and wellness enthusiast, known as ‘Holistic Hilda,’ travels the world searching for meaning and ancient wellness practices. She meets with indigenous people and learns their ageless wisdom, uncovering ancestral health traditions and practices. “I’m in the field, baby!” she says with her trademark smile. “I’m out there asking questions.”

But it’s not just Hilda’s insatiable (and humble) approach to evolution that intrigues us, but her ability to synthesize information and deliver it to her droves of followers so that it’s accessible. She does so on her podcast ‘Wise Traditions’ and her popular YouTube Channel with a rare blend of fun and reverence.  

Nichole recently chatted with Hilda on ‘The PrimaFoodie Podcast’ and gleaned some of her vast knowledge. Here, we share four simple yet expansive practices Hilda has learned to help us live more aligned with our higher selves. As Hilda says, her goal is not to compartmentalize wellness or live off the grid but rather to weave in healthy moments throughout her days—and she hopes she can help others do the same. “I like the idea of helping people come home to themselves and the integrity of their whole lives.”

Holistic Hilda’s 4 Practices for Deeper Meaning, Vitality, and Balance 

#1: Lean into your breath. 

Expanding our capacity for wellness and learning can happen in small steps. Hilda looks to the power of her breath by weaving in moments of breathwork into her day-to-day life, a practice she says is accessible and simple, so much so that she does it in her car on her way to and from work. 

Try the four-seven-eight breathing technique she loves:

1. Inhale for four breaths.

2. Hold for seven breaths.

3. Exhale for eight breaths.

Hilda loves to practice this while listening to soothing music to calm her nervous system and get into a restorative space. Plus, it’s easy for all of us who seem to be perpetually on the go. “Take advantage of the time you are sitting still, like the car,” she says. “Instead of getting aggravated by the tail lights, I’m breathing while listening to classical music.”

#2: Listen to your intuition.

Hilda learned the ancient custom of dadirri on a trip to Australia where she met with Aboriginal peoples. They taught her about their respect for the land around them and their practice of tapping deep inside themselves to unearth the spring of knowledge within. 

Such a practice is something we all can do, believes Hilda. “We need to take time to be still in our busy lives, and that might help us return to living lives of integrity,” she says, adding that we have a choice every day to be still and listen to what’s around us. 

#3: Break patterns! Do something different. 

It’s easy to say and life-stretching to do: incorporating new experiences, places, and things in life. This practice is essential for Hilda. “This is why I jump into ice holes,” she laughs. “But I’m trying to do something unusual because what does it do? It wakes me up on every level, in every cell in my body.”

Hilda recognizes that going out of our schedules and comfort zones is challenging and can be quite convenient. But that is often the reason to do it. She uses a trip she took to Mongolia as an example. When the trip opportunity came to her, Hilda had an important event on her schedule during the exact dates. There was no room in her calendar to go to Asia, she admits thinking. That’s when she used a technique she learned from author Lorie Ladd: She pictured herself in both outcomes, going on the trip and attending the event she had on her schedule. “I pictured the no. It felt comfortable, and it felt good,” she says. “Then I pictured Mongolia, and I felt like a tiny little speck of sand amidst the giant cosmos. I pictured myself learning. And I’d just felt like I would be so small there, and the world is so big, and I’d be exploring cultures, traditions, and food that I’d never explored before. So it had to be a heck yes.”

The takeaway is to stretch ourselves, go for the ‘heck yes,’ and lean into the unfamiliar, even if it’s inconvenient or scary because that is where actual growth happens. 

#4: Eat from the land. 

“When I was in Australia, an aboriginal woman told me, ‘This is our grocery store,’ and she was pointing to the land,” recalls Hilda. “She said this is where our people would get food.” 

We’ve lost touch with the berries and herbs around us, believes Hilda. We source our foods in plastic wraps and pull manufactured products from shelves. This is why it’s critical to understand better where our foods come from and to tap into local foods when possible. “Eat fewer foods that have labels and packages and more single-ingredient foods,” she says. “It’s so satisfying, and! I don’t have to read any ingredient labels and see if there are any things on there I cannot pronounce.” 

So whenever possible, choose foods that come as nature intended. As Hilda says, “They will bless your body, strengthen you, and give you energy and vitality.”

To glean more of Hilda's learnings, listen to her full conversation with Nichole on 'The PrimaFoodie Podcast.'

Photo by Tania Teschke

The PrimaFoodie Podcast Season 2

The PrimaFoodie Podcast is back. We are so excited to share life-changing wisdom about our health and what we eat (and undoubtedly infuriate the giant corporate food companies along the way). 

This season, Nichole goes deep with more of the world's brightest advocates for clean eating and holistic wellness. They move past the trends and hype to get to the good stuff: the real foods, practices, and truths that have the most beneficial impact on our well-being. Nichole speaks with an iconoclastic researcher who travels the world to ask healers from varied cultures about how they stay vibrant. She asks a leading gastroenterologist about the 'silent fire' that drives widespread disease and illness. She talks with a farmer growing heirloom food about the beauty, joy, and nutrition found in thoughtfully grown ancient foods. And this is just a sampling. 

These talks are riveting and educational—but they're so much more. Opening up and discussing how and what we eat, along with the ways we care for our minds and bodies, is the most important thing we can do. Owning our autonomy in the face of an unjust food system and corrupt food corporations and lobbyists is how we democratize wellness. Research from early this year shows that people still lack access to fresh foods—and this is 2023! Some of the boundaries are financial; others are educational. One survey shows only 25 percent of people read food labels before making an in-person purchase. More than 21 percent say they cut back on buying healthier foods. 

This all needs to change. At PrimaFoodie, our dream is for 100 percent of people to have immediate access to pure, healthy food and the desire to parse every ingredient before they buy something. 

We're working to make wellness synonymous with equality and equity, starting with making healthy, delicious, clean eating accessible—because feeling good comes from the inside out. What we put in and on our bodies has the most profound impact on how we move through this life. 

Let's keep fighting for the good stuff. Thanks for being on this trek with us.   

“Good Food Makes Your Life Better”—Chef Andreas Niewerth on How to Eat More Healthily

We all deserve to know what is in our food. Yet, learning all the ingredients on our plates takes a lot of work in the United States. Companies are stealthy, adding chemicals, fillers, coloring, enhancers, and so much more. And consumers often have zero clue.

Chef Andreas Niewerth knows this unfortunate truth well. The holistic nutritionist, trained chef, and chef instructor was born in Germany and has worked around Europe and the globe advocating for clean, nutrient-dense foods. After learning about the power of real food while working in his family's restaurants and establishing one of the first organic catering companies in Germany, Chef Andreas received his holistic nutritionist certification when his eldest son was diagnosed with allergies and rheumatoid arthritis. 

Today, Chef Andreas lives in California with his family, where he grows his food, offers his services as a private chef and teacher, and holds farm-to-table pop-up events. He's an educator and inspiration when it comes to really paying attention to what we eat. And given that he is German, he's also a human magnifying glass revealing the American food system's cryptic and often harmful tactics. As these three facts show, it can be critical to pause and look at how we've been conditioned to eat in the US and ask: Is there a better way?

There is, says Chef Andreas. It starts with transparency, asking questions, and eating real food from the earth. "If you put good food in your body right away, you will spend less money on doctor bills," he says. "Good food makes your life better."

#1: Europe educates kids about natural foods. America does not.

Like European nations, America must educate people about food and personal nutrition. "In Germany, they want you to be a healthy individual. They train you [as early as] in Kindergarten. Go away from the hamburger and eat more fresh vegetables," says Chef Andreas. Of course, occasionally allowing kids to eat something like a hamburger or ice cream is okay. But Chef Andreas stresses how Europe educates kids about the importance of consistently eating whole, real foods first and foremost.

#2: Food transparency reigns in Europe.

"In Europe, French fries have three ingredients: potatoes, salt, and fat," says Chef Andreas. The whole ingredients make up the food. Yet, in the US, it is quite different. "French fries have 17 ingredients— stabilizers, more taste enhancers, more additives that are different chemicals that make you want to eat more." He adds, "So it's really an unhealthy french fry here."

#3: Eat better quality food—and less food overall. 

Chef Andreas says there is way too much food waste in the US. Plus, American portion sizes are significantly larger than in Europe. He says a critical key is to eat high-quality food, which tends to be much more expensive in the US but with lower portion sizes. "I tell people, 'Cut the steak a little bit smaller. Instead of 10 ounces, eat only six ounces, and make sure those six ounces are high-quality, organic, grass-fed, and from your farmer next door," he says. "Don't buy the commercial stuff."

To learn more from Chef Andreas, listen to his entire conversation with Nichole on ‘The PrimaFoodie Podcast.’

The Critical Organ Connection a Nutritional Psychiatrist Wants Us All to Know

It may seem obvious that fresh arugula will nourish your brain while a candy bar will deplete it, but Dr. Uma Naidoo helps us see why. A nutritional psychiatrist and author of the bestseller This Is Your Brain on Food, Dr. Naidoo breaks down the link between what we eat and how our brains function in a compelling, direct, and inspiring way. “I want people to feel hopeful," she says, "and really start to eat healthier for your brain health and your mental fitness."

Dr. Naidoo, who is the director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry Services at Massachusetts General Hospital, recently joined Nichole on ‘The PrimaFoodie Podcast’ to talk more about the brain-gut connection and its riveting impact on our mental well-being. Here we break down four fascinating facts from their conversation. 

#1: Our gut and brain are inextricably connected.
The gut and brain arise from the same cells in the human embryo and then divide to form two organs, explains Dr. Naidoo. “The two organs remain connected throughout our lives by the tenth cranial nerve called the Vagus nerve” which allows for chemical messaging between the two organ systems. So throughout our lives, these organ systems are always in communication. 

#2: Most of the “happiness hormone” comes from the gut. 
More than 90 percent of our serotonin, the so-called “happiness hormone” that influences a host of human functions including mood, digestion, and sexual desire, is produced within the gut. Additionally, 70 percent of our immune system is in the gut, adds Dr. Naidoo. “So we start to understand that as we eat food, and food is digested, it is starting to interact with this two-way connection that exists between the gut and the brain.”

#3: Our microbes are critical—so we must take care of them.
The gut contains 39 odd trillion microbes, says Dr. Naidoo. While their types and roles vary, they’re mainly there to work in tandem with our body regarding vitamin production, sleep and circadian rhythm, hormones, immunity, mental health, and so much more. With this said, when we are under stress or eat unhealthy foods, those microbes become impacted and can evolve into bad microbes. “When we eat poorly, the bad microbes are fed and nurtured,” continues Dr. Naidoo. “And when we feed and nurture the bad, the bad bugs, the bad microbes, they start to take over and then they set up for gut inflammation. This is why it’s critical to nourish and care for our microbes with proper sleep, stress management, and healthy healing foods such as vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts, seeds, and legumes. As Dr. Naidoo puts it, “We want to live in community with our gut microbes.”

#4: To honor our mental health, we must eat well.
Inflammation in the gut leads to inflammation in the brain. This fact underscores why Dr. Naidoo sees food and nutrition as one of the most critical ways to care for our emotional and mental well-being. By moving away from foods that are processed and high in sugar and toward fresh, whole options “we’re immediately making a better choice for mental health and an improvement in our gut health and ultimately, our brain health.”

To learn more from Dr. Naidoo, listen to ‘The PrimaFoodie Podcast’ here. 

A Health Practitioner on One of the Most Critical and Accessible Pieces to Better Health

Joy is an elusive thing. We tend to think of it as ephemeral and fleeting, or something hard to cultivate. But the truth is, we all hold the capacity to experience joy, even during trying times. Even more compelling is that joy can be a key to better health.

This belief underscores the work of Lisa Cipkar. As an integrative health coach, Cipkar works with people dealing with chronic illness—from Lyme Disease to biotoxin illness to cancer recovery. She sees clients in the throes of healing. Often, what they need most isn’t in medication or a supplement. “People will wonder what the secret is,” Cipkar tells us, “I do think the secret is finding that joy.” 

We found Cipkar’s approach fascinating and accessible, so we spoke to her to learn more. Cipkar tells us why joy is so critical in giving us the fortitude not only to heal but to lead healthy, vibrant, satisfying lives. 

A Conversation with Lisa Cipkar, IHP

You believe that joy is a critical part of one’s healing prescription. Why is this?

It was one of the biggest lessons I learned in my journey with chronic illness. The longer I’ve worked in this space, the more I realize that the people who get better see a reason to get better. It’s like they’ve unlocked something that not everybody seems to be able to arrive at. It’s that hope. It’s about living the life you want to live.

Recently I've been challenging myself as a practitioner to make sure we're covering every possible piece we can when we're trying to support someone through their healing journey. My protocol has started to look different in that I tell clients to go play more. I tell them to go do things to keep their brain busy in a positive way. Through conversations and reflecting on how long I've been working in this space versus being the patient in this space, I’ve found the people who get better are those who set goals, pick up a new hobby, discover something that they completely fall in love with—and all that is what keeps their brain busy. So they start feeling better and that creates momentum. It’s really about that joy and that purpose.

For someone who doesn’t know where to begin to start cultivating more joy, what's your advice for where to start?

The number one thing I ask is: What did life look like before you got sick or before you started on this healing journey? What did life look like? What were their goals? Sometimes just moving towards those general memories can help them kind of wake up and think, I used to love to write or travel or cook and I've kind of lost that over time.

Of course, there will be some people who can't ever remember feeling well, and that will take extra support. But for many, it’s about sparking that memory of what used to give them joy. Sometimes that little nudge is just all that they need.

So much of your work focuses on people dealing with chronic illness, but you also work with people who are looking to simply get healthier overall. How does joy help someone who is seeking better general health?

Our life, even when we’re not facing chronic illness, is often about suppressing, suppressing, suppressing. We’re just trying to get through the day. We're either trying to survive or trying to achieve. And often, we’re taking care of everybody else, or our to-do list, or our obligations before we're taking care of ourselves. It’s so rare for people to take their full weekends anymore to rest, relax, and recoup. So no matter what, playing and having fun should have an equal amount of time on our schedule as working towards our health goals, building our future, and all those things.

Considering that you take a holistic approach to your work, meaning you consider emotional, mental, and nutritional care in tandem with physical care. In terms of how our society approaches wellness, overall, what is one key thing we’re missing or depriving ourselves of?

I like this question. I would say the number one thing for women is that we are not eating enough. We’re in starvation mode. We take care of everybody else and it might be lunchtime or dinner time before we realize we haven't eaten all day. About 95 percent of people that come into the clinic are not eating enough at all. And it’s no wonder they can't get over their symptoms or get healthy. We need those nutrients. We live in a culture where properly nourishing our bodies is very misinformed. It isn’t common knowledge how we should be eating to support ourselves, especially if we're talking about prevention.

The number two thing is that we need to look at food as medicine. We still often eat to satisfy and that's it. There is so much within the nutrition world that could change the game for us, especially in North America. There’s a reason why there are other parts of the world that are doing a whole lot better statistically with their healthcare systems and the status of chronic symptoms and diseases.

So we need to see our food as medicine, which is right in front of us. But it’s also not right in front of us for many, with food deserts, which is a whole other issue we need to change. But with that said, we need proper nourishment, proper sleep, and to see food as medicine.

Lisa Cipkar is an integrative health practitioner (IHP) and founder of Abundant Life and Wellness. She currently holds nine certifications and countless extra credentials on brain health, blood chemistry, healing from chronic illnesses like Lyme disease, and more. Learn more at lisacipkar.com.  

This Author and Clean Foods Advocate Has Some of the Most Important—and Refreshing—Food Advice We’ve Heard

At the start of her career, Haley Scheich worked for Pfizer. This sentence might not seem radical, but once you learn how committed to seeing food as medicine Scheich is today, you can see the value mismatch between her and the pharmaceutical giant. Still, the experience taught her about pharmacology, biochemistry, “and how the body works and different disease states,” she tells our founder, Nichole. It was, in a word, eye-opening. 

Even more eye-opening was the education Scheich received after she left her Pfizer job. When a friend suggested she join her in a yoga class, Scheich was reticent but curious. By the end of the class, she was transformed. “It was really through the practice of yoga that I became more aware of my body and understood the power of food, as it related to what I ate and what I didn't eat,” she says. Yoga sparked a newfound understanding of what made her feel good and what made her feel sluggish, foggy, and tired. She started reading books on alternative nutrition, like Grain Brain by Dr. David Perlmutter, and ridding gluten and dairy from her life. “I felt like a new person,” she says. “And so, of course, then I was all in and just read every book that I could get my hands on.”

In her words, Scheich was starting to see how food can be medicine. Rather than taking a pill to fix an issue, a theme surrounding her early-career work, she saw food as a way to unlock the body’s power. She’s since turned into a passionate advocate for whole foods, most recently making her wisdom palatable for young readers in her children's book, My SuperHero Foods. Coauthored with Dr. Tarek Pacha, this book is a fun, uplifting read that helps little ones understand what they put into their bodies matters. And it all stems from how Scheich got her own children to eat better. “ I would share the power of that whole food that they were eating. For example, avocados. They're full of monounsaturated fat, which just gives us this incredible energy. If we want to go out and jump rope and jump higher, let's eat avocado because it's going to give us that power!” 

But all this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Scheich’s deep (and infectious) knowledge about food, our food system, and getting our little—and all loved ones—to eat better. Luckily, we got to learn so much from Scheich on ‘The PrimaFoodie Podcast’—including the following three pieces of food wisdom we all must know.

#1: The FDA Doesn’t Have Our Backs

Much to our dismay, this still is true. So we must look out for ourselves. People may think “this fruit punch drink with the bright blue has vitamin C and antioxidants in it [...] must be healthy,” says Scheich. “Or the FDA allows it to be in the grocery store, so it has to be healthy.” But that isn’t the case. Dig deeper and you’ll find these ingredients are not only unhealthy but harmful. Scheich’s advice: “Question everything.” 

And dig into the ingredients. 

#2: Changing How You Eat Will Change Your Life

Scheich stands by this—because it did for her. “Once you see the changes, by learning for yourself, this food works for me, this food doesn't work for me, it’s incredible,” she says. You can start small, and it may take time. For starters, Scheich says “the less processed that you get, the better off you are.” Ridding your days of ultra-processed packaged foods is a strong start. 

#3: See Food as “Your Best Friend”

Scheich’s view on this is a radically empowering way to look at what we eat. Clean, whole, nutrient-dense food really is akin to a great friend, coach, and ally. It will work for you, not against you. It will improve your cognition, motor skills, and health, thus making life better. So when healthy eating gets tough, use this as a motivator. 

Even more so, Scheich suggests using this approach when trying to encourage better food in schools. By saying to the teachers, you’re “doing great work and we're very appreciative of the work you do—and food can supplement. It can be like your best friend to your classroom, because kids on a bunch of sugar, versus kids not on a bunch of sugar—it's totally different.”

To learn more from Haley Scheich, listen to The PrimaFoodie Podcast and visit mysuperherofoods.com. 

Our Food future: 3 facts we all need to know

Parker Brook took a huge leap—and we applaud him for it. The former food executive spent more than a decade as a brand manager for various giant food labels before he left to start his cereal company, Lovebird. As he tells Nicole in our premiere episode of ‘The PrimaFoodie Podcast,’ he could not get behind what many food companies were doing to turn a profit, which included using low-quality ingredients to make food faster and cheaper. “Now my journey is really focused on Lovebird and how to clean up all that stuff and provide better options for people,” he says. 

The following three takeaways from his conversation with Nichole are information we all need to make smart decisions for our health and to fight for a better food system. 

And if you haven’t yet, be sure to listen to ‘The PrimaFoodie Podcast’ here.

#1: Most conventional corporate food companies do not have our backs.
We need food to survive. Yet so much of the food marketed to us is laden with sugars and made with low-quality ingredients. As Brook says of many corporate package food companies, “their primary objective is to maximize shareholder value, not your health.” To do this, companies will cut costs in every way they can. “I just couldn't sit in another meeting and be like, ‘We need mermaid yogurt, so kids can eat our yogurt that has 19 grams of added sugar in it,’” he adds. 

#2: It’s critical to be wary of what goes into packaged foods.
Food marketing is cryptic and often dangerous. A company can market something as better for our health, but a closer look proves the opposite. Brook uses the example of the low-fat foods that came into popularity in the late 80s. “If you look at what they had in them, there was a ton of sugar and oils, canola oils, and things like that. They use sucralose, which is a non-caloric sweetener, artificial aspartame […].” Brook’s statement underscores the need to read package food labels. “There are certain things and ingredients you should just avoid because there's really no nutritional benefit to them,” he says. 

#3: We hold the power for our food future.
Brook is running a food company, but his mission is way bigger. He wants to “elevate cleaning eating and clean ingredients” and to educate people about how to read ingredient labels and what to watch out for—" because as soon as you stop buying something, they will stop making it. That's a fact.” His rallying cry to know what’s on our plates, support transparency, and vote with our dollars is empowering to hear. “Each one of us has the power to really decide what our food future is,” he says. I'm trying to do it by making a product to give you an option, instead. Hopefully, I invite competitors and other people to follow.” 

The 4 Healthy Kitchen Essentials to Always Keep Stocked—According to a Functional Nutritionist

As a functional nutritionist, Alanna DeSalvo knows a thing or two about cooking healthy, nutrient-dense meals at home. Yet still, DeSalvo admits it’s not always easy. “Everything is so busy nowadays,” DeSalvo tells us. “It's hard for me to even prep meals at times.” Therefore, DeSalvo believes in setting up her clients for cooking success—i.e. making it easy to create simple, clean meals without copious ingredients or time. The place to start is stocking clean pantry and freezer staples.

We asked DeSalvo where to start. Here she walks us through the kitchen staples she always keeps on hand and why. Because when you have ingredients to work with, you’re more likely to get in the kitchen—which she says is most important. “One of my main beliefs is that cooking is nutrition and action,” DeSalvo adds. “The more you can get into your kitchen, even just throwing something easy together with what you have in the pantry or the freezer, it can make a difference in your health and how you feel at the end of the day.”

4 Pantry and Freezer Staples to Keep on Hand

Healthy Fats

From oils to nuts to ghee, DeSalvo believes in keeping healthy fats on hand for cooking, as well as for adding nutrients to salads and other dishes. She recommends having two to three clean oils on hand, her favorites being olive oil, avocado oil, and ghee. Be mindful of how you’re using them, she says, as different oils have varying smoke points. She also recommends nuts and nut butter, which are a great “healthy fat and that helps keep blood sugar stable.”

Clean Easy Proteins

This included sustainable canned or frozen fish, organic jerky, and beans. “These are all ideal for putting together a nourishing meal quickly,” she says. Look for options that you can keep in your pantry or the freezer.

“Pantry Vegetables”

Fresh is always ideal when it comes to produce but sometimes it’s not an option. For this reason, DeSalvo recommends stocking what she calls “pantry vegetables”—things like jarred or canned olives, artichokes, capers (which she says are high in antioxidants), and tomatoes. “If your fridge is empty, you can pull these from your cabinet and just add this to a meal for extra antioxidants and nutrients.”

Healthy Sauces and Spices

Part of what makes food good for us is the pleasure factor. So a quick meal doesn’t need to lack flavor and interest. DeSalvo says to keep clean sauces and spices on hand to add to a dish. This includes a quick stir fry sauce, teriyaki sauces, a good quality tomato sauce, fresh dried herbs, and spices. “Not only do they add lots of flavors, which is important to enjoying a meal, but also herbs and spices have a lot of antioxidant properties. Even a pinch of freshly cracked black pepper can boost the nutrient density of your meal.”

Tips for Sourcing the Best Pantry and Freezer Staples

Not every pantry staple is a healthy one. To ensure you’re stocking your shelves healthily, DeSalvo recommends following these guidelines:

• Always read the ingredients label. “Look for whole food ingredients. If you see something that you wouldn’t put in the recipe yourself, look for one that is more aligned with what you would make in your kitchen.”

• Beware of hidden sugars. “They're hidden in everything, including sauces and nut butters,” says DeSalvo. Read the labels and opt for options without added sugars. 

• Aim for organic. “At least, as much as possible,” she adds. 

• Understand your packaging. BPAs and other toxins in canned food packaging are still ubiquitous. “When your food is sitting in that for a long time and the BPAs leach to your food, that can mess with hormones and create inflammation,” DeSalvo warns. Look for packaging that is non-BPA or—even better—in a box. 

For the Love of Linen: How Rough Linen Founder Tricia Rose Approaches Sustainability

Let’s face it: We all want to live more sustainably. Incorporating ways to live with a lighter footprint is linked to protecting the environment, creating a safer future for our children, and maintaining a thriving world today. When we’re cognizant of how our lifestyle choices impact the world, we live healthier lives.

That said, the mere idea of “sustainability” can feel overwhelming. The term itself has been shorn of its meaning, eroded by overuse in marketing. In the face of mass production and consumerism, it can be daunting to know what sustainable choices mean, and where to begin making them. When we feel this way (and trust us, we often do) we look to those who live sustainability according to their beat. Enter: Tricia Rose. 

The founder of Rough Linen, a collection of bedding and lifestyle goods made of pure linen, Rose imbues a sense of timelessness and appreciation into her work. Her pieces are made with integrity and meant to last. The anchor of Rough Linen is in its name: pure linen made of flax grown without chemicals in Europe. In comparison to cotton, linen is superior in terms of sustainability and integrity. It requires less water to make (as does flax to grow), is naturally antibacterial, easier to care for, and completely biodegradable and recyclable. And as Rose tells us, linen's roots are democratic. “The kind of linen I love used to be a home product before the advent of slave-grown cotton,” she says.

Rose and her Rough Linen collection have us inspired to repatriate ourselves with the concept of sustainability. Looking at her ethos, one step is to lean into fewer things made of higher quality materials. As we recently collaborated with Rose for our ‘Cooking with Kids’ giveaway, we took a moment to ask her what true sustainability means. Her approach and her work stand as reminders that the things we bring into our lives leave an indelible mark on our future.

A Minute with Tricia Rose

What does sustainability truly mean to you? 

The essence of sustainability to me is paying attention. If you choose carefully before you buy, and enjoy choosing, so you understand why you want something in the first place, the whole process becomes miraculously simple, and you aren't besieged by meaningless options. You are aligned with your values.

There are copious options out there for synthetic or mixed fabrics. Why do you believe natural fabrics are better for our overall well-being?

Natural fabrics are biodegradable and inherently more wholesome than synthetics. Think of what we are learning about microfiber pollution. They tend to be more absorbent too, and they sit lightly on our skin.

For the person seeking to have a more thoughtful approach to the items they bring into their lives, what is your advice?

My wise old mother said ‘you can never have enough of what you don't really want.’ In other words, material things can't fill an emotional need. Things can delight us, and bring us great pleasure and comfort if we respect them. Let the things which don't serve us fall away. Sometimes we need a frivolous purchase! But there are no hard and fast rules; just awareness of our needs, time, and money, and how our choices impact other people.

You were inspired to start Rough Linen after discovering an heirloom linen item at your family’s home in Scotland. Take us back to what you discovered and how it spoke to you…

I was clearing the old stone cottage in Scotland my grandparents had bought seventy years earlier, and it was full of treasures. They valued skill and craft and looked after their possessions. In the traditional linen press, there were carefully mended and folded sets of linens—sadly too small for modern beds—and one natural linen homespun pillowcase, woven by my great great grandmother from flax grown on her smallholding. It was soft yet textured, and it was so evocative of my childhood and the loving care I felt in their house. So I brought it home with me.

When I found a natural linen with the same weight and texture I had to make bedding from it, and it gave me the same blissful sleep and sense of belonging I had all those years ago. Friends admired it too, so I made more, and it snowballed.

To learn more about Tricia Rose and Rough Linen, visit roughlinen.com.

And be sure to download our Cooking with Kids Guide here. 

Food Activist and Chef Camilla Marcus Is On a Mission to Better Our Food System

By Stacey Lindsay

Several years ago, I stopped into west~bourne, an eclectic all-day café in NYC’s Soho neighborhood, and had one of my favorite lunches to date: a simple grain bowl with roasted sweet potatoes, broccoli, and kale topped with pickled beets and savory tahini. The food was fresh and delicious. But it was the vibe of that warmly lit café that stuck with me. west~bourne exuded the breezy feel of California blended with the sound feeling that the staff truly cared about what they were doing—and serving.

That integrity stems from west~bourne’s founder and owner, Camilla Marcus. A California native and longtime food activist, Marcus has always put the why, how, and who behind what we eat first. She fights for zero waste and honors those who grow, cultivate, cook, and serve our food by giving back to various non-profits. For Marcus, creating food that is “naturally delicious and nutritious” and “better supports a sustainable food system” has always been her drive, she tells us. “It’s the only way to forge a future that we can be proud of passing to the next generation.”

Marcus closed the physical café doors to west~bourne in 2020, but its greater purpose lives on via her new provisions collection of the same name. The west~bourne line consists of sweet and savory snacks (think: organic yellow mushroom popcorn with maple and vanilla and crunchy rice squares with smoked almonds and Japanese togarashi spices), sustainably sourced avocado oil, and spices. Marcus considers everything, from ingredient sourcing to supply chain. “Our production is locally centered with our carbon footprint in mind, and so we can create products that are made up of traceable, responsibly grown ingredients, all while supporting local communities,” she says.

Still fueled by my memorable lunch in NYC, I dug a little deeper into west~bourne’s latest iteration by asking Marcus about her mission and how we all can take part. As Marcus proves, we all can take steps—big and small—toward building a more inclusive and transparent food system. “We love to eat and drink, but our food consumption accounts for a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions—one of the largest contributors to climate change. Good news is, we can do something about it.”

 A Conversation with Camilla Marcus

Let’s start out with your new provisions line, west~bourne. Walk us through its zero-waste and inclusive ethos.

Our production is locally centered with our carbon footprint in mind, and so we can create products that are made up of traceable, responsibly grown ingredients, all while supporting local communities.  Our packaging is on the cutting edge of sustainability technology and is made with a variety of low-impact, recyclable, and compostable materials. We’re obsessive about our supply chain as well, which includes a proprietary network of local partners to minimize transportation impact and utilize innovative and regenerative farming practices as well.

We offset the carbon footprint of all orders by purchasing climate credits through The Garcia River Forest Project, a redwood forest preservation and management project in Northern California that protects carbon reservoirs, preserves wildlife habitats, reduces risk of wildfires, and safeguards the California watershed. Our customers can also match our donation directly during checkout as well, which gives them the opportunity to make their orders carbon negative. 

What is the greater social mission behind west~bourne?

Food has the power to forge connections and nourish a community. Our mission is to harness the supernatural power of vegetables to invite more people to the table together to transform plant based, zero waste eating that sustains our health—of our own bodies and our planet. 

What sparked your advocacy work for giving back and paying attention to people first?

My upbringing centered around being a generous and thoughtful member of our community.  Both of my parents were active through regular volunteering and leadership in philanthropic organizations throughout Los Angeles. Being an active part of my neighborhood fueled my soul.

While I was in culinary school, I was also part of the opening team at dell’anima, which had an incredible decade run in the West Village. That experience was a crash course in figuring out all the elements that come together to make a restaurant run smoothly—and it’s also where I fell in love with the hospitality industry and the people who dedicate everything to taking care of others. My first restaurant family was where I started integrating my environmentally focused practices that I grew up into how food is crafted for our neighborhoods, through creating a composting system for the restaurant and implementing an energy-efficient lighting system. This ultimately drove me to want to build west~bourne the cafe, which was the first zero waste certified restaurant in Manhattan. We partnered with The Robin Hood Foundation to forge a unique closed loop giveback system with The Door to support our team growth and local job development. When COVID started, I knew I could not be idle while our whole industry and our beloved teams were left without government support, particularly given those who work in restaurants can’t work from home.  So, I jumped into action immediately as a founding member of both ROAR and the IRC, fighting daily for relief. 

The other element of advocacy work that is very important to me is centered around childcare. Hospitality workers do not work a traditional 9-5, Monday through Friday job. Women and in particular mothers make up a significant portion of this industry, but the structural childcare system in this country categorically excludes hospitality workers, which is shocking when you consider restaurants are the second largest private employer in the country. You are faced with having to choose between your work or your family—which is no choice at all—and it's imperative that this changes. I’m very focused on driving legislative policy to address this inequity so all parents, especially those in our industry who dedicate so much to others, can have the right to earn a living, build a career, and take care of their families. 

How can we all be advocates of zero waste at home?

Everyone can take little steps to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle at home for themselves.

·   Plan your meals out ahead of your weekly shopping routine so that you are not buying in excess.

·   Use the full fruit or vegetable. The ends of carrots, radish greens, or even onion peels can be repurposed into more than we think if we get creative.

·   If space and resources permit, grow your own vegetables. Even an apartment dweller can grow herbs in a kitchen windowsill.

·   It’s equally important to address proper food storage in your home.  Small adjustments like keeping produce in organic cotton mesh bags to keep them fresh and dairy in the back of the fridge where it stays coldest or separating out the items, such as bananas or avocados, that can speed up the ripening of everything around them can have a significant compound effect. 

·   Lastly, composting goes a long way. Start with a compost system you could keep on the counter or under the sink and use it to collect scraps, eggs shells, banana peels and other biodegradable matter. If you have an outdoor space, you can compost the materials in your backyard, or you can dispose of it at a collection site or community garden. Many major cities are making composting a requirement and can provide additional resources. 

Simple, mindful steps can add up if we do it together.  We can all be part of a collective work in progress. Just put one foot in front of the other. 

Furthermore, how can we all advocate for more inclusivity in the food industry?

Each of us has the power in our daily lives as individuals or through our businesses to take some action to promote food access.  Our system has deeply rooted issues that can only be addressed over time through committed collective effort, whether that’s helping build awareness, supporting others in their equity work, or creating programs through your own ventures.

You can learn more about Camilla Marcus, her advocacy work, and west~bourne at west-bourne.com

Getting Real about Food Dyes: A Conversation with Dr. Tania Dempsey

Artificial food coloring is everywhere. In our food, our pharmaceuticals, even our mouthwash. Pick up a conventional or processed product from the shelves and you’re likely to find one of the nine FDA-approved artificial dyes listed in the ingredients.

The question then is: Why—and what harm does this cause to our health? To answer this, we reached out to Dr. Tania Dempsey, a Board-Certified physician specializing in internal medicine and integrative and holistic medicine. As Dr. Dempsey illuminates, food coloring represents the even larger issue of all the additives that go into what we eat.

Let’s start with how common food dyes are today. What are the main culprits?

Food coloring is pervasive throughout the food, drug, and cosmetic industries. 

The foods that most commonly contain artificial dyes are in the processed food category.  Breakfast cereal, chips, candies, cookies and other baked goods frequently have color added to them for appearance and to make them look more inviting.  Other packaged food, such as flavored oatmeal and macaroni and cheese,  often have food dyes listed in their ingredient list. Beverages like sports drinks, fruit juice and soda can also contain food dyes.  However, the really shocking thing is the number of foods that would not necessarily be considered “junk” food that contain dyes.

Many pharmaceutical pills, over the counter or prescription strength, whether they are capsules, tablets, contain some kind of coloring in the outer coating of their pills or capsules.

Liquid preparations, particularly for pediatric use like medications for fever or colds, often contain food dye.  The coloring probably serves as a way to distinguish the pills for the company, the pharmacist and the patient.  It also looks more attractive to the patient.   Hygiene products like toothpaste and mouthwash are usually found in various colors, with various food dyes added.   

These dyes are also found in unexpected places. What are those?

Some brands of pickles contain a yellow dye to make the pickles look brighter.  Non-organic oranges can be sprayed with a dye to give them a more vibrant orange color.  As mentioned previously, dyes are found in pharmaceuticals, even in infant and children’s products, as well as cosmetics, like face washes and creams, and personal care products like toothpaste and mouthwash. 

What are the main artificial food dyes to look out for? And what hazards or health concerns are they linked to?

There are nine FDA approved artificial dyes: Blue 1, Blue 2, Citrus Red 2, Green 3, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. Studies have shown that all have some associated health risks. The literature has been extensively reviewed by several organizations and researchers. A summary of the dangers of each is outlined in a document published by The Center for Science in Public Interest.  

More than half of the approved artificial food dyes have carcinogenic potential and have been linked to tumor growths and cancer. Red 3, also known as Erythrosine, was shown to increase thyroid tumors in animal studies.  Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 contain a chemical called benzidine, which is a carcinogen that can cause cancer.  Several dyes, notably Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6, have been shown to cause hypersensitivity reactions, with symptoms that can include: itching, hives, face swelling, headaches, dizziness, trouble breathing, and even anaphylaxis.  Yellow 5 has the potential for being genotoxic, which means that it can damage DNA, potentially affecting future generations of children.

Many of the dyes have been shown through various studies and meta-analyses to cause behavioral issues in children, including ADHD, which is concerning especially since children are the predominant consumers of food products that contain food coloring. *

We’ve read that some dyes are made of unappealing—and appalling—ingredients. Would you talk about this?  

Most of the artificial dyes are made from petroleum. FD&C Blue No. 2 Aluminum Lake is made from aluminum, which is a toxic metal.

There are natural dyes that contain insects, like carmine, which is a red coloring made from crushed cochineal bugs.  But many of the natural dyes come from fruits and vegetables, like beets, spinach, cabbage, or pomegranates.

What is the psychology behind using food coloring? Is it necessary?

From a health perspective, food coloring is certainly not necessary.  However, from a business and marketing perspective, food coloring sells.  Consumers, including children, are attracted to the colors, which make them excited about eating the food or taking the pill or swallowing the liquid medication, for instance. It is more enticing to eat something bright in color rather than something beige and bland. Food coloring has no purpose in any product other than aesthetics- it doesn’t make the food taste better or make the medication work better.   

What are some healthier swaps?

Generally speaking, organic food will be healthier and less likely to contain artificial food dyes. Choose organic oranges instead of non-organic, as an example.  Choose packaged products that contain fewer ingredients and avoid foods with bright colors.  Cutting back on packaged products and eating a more whole food based diet will be healthier and will avoid additional colorings or flavorings. Some products that are marketed as healthier, like fruit gummies, use natural dyes, but still carry their own set of side effects.  They may be less toxic but they can still cause hypersensitivity reactions in some people and contain excessive amounts of carbohydrates and sugars.  Staying away from foods that are colored may be difficult but there are plenty of options out there.  

Food dyes are just one example of a larger problem of copious food additives. What else is critical to know?

Beyond the issue with food dyes, we should also consider artificial or even natural flavors used in packaged food that might also be problematic.  Many products not only have color added for the visual effects but also contain flavors to make them appeal to the palate.  Artificial and natural flavorings may contain chemicals and solvents that can be toxic and can cause a variety of reactions.

Dr. Tania Dempsey, MD, ABIHM is Board-Certified in Internal Medicine and Integrative and Holistic Medicine. She received her MD degree from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and her BS degree from Cornell University. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at New York University Medical Center. She is currently a community staff member of Greenwich Hospital in Greenwich, CT.

In 2011, she founded Armonk Integrative Medicine (AIM) which has evolved into the AIM Center for Personalized Medicine, a destination practice in Purchase, NY, focusing on complex, multi-system diseases. Dr. Dempsey is an expert in Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Dysautonomia, ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), Tick-Borne Infections and Autoimmunity. She is a member of the U.S. ME/CFS Clinician Coalition and is actively involved in their Infection Workgroup subcommittee. She is the co-author of the chapter on “Urogynecology and Hypermobility” in the 2020 book, Disjointed Navigating the Diagnosis and Management of hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders. She has recently published several ground-breaking articles in the medical literature, including the review article “Diagnosis of mast cell activation syndrome: a global "consensus-2" published in Diagnosis in April 2020 and the newly published case series from January 2022 titled: “Post-HPV-Vaccination Mast Cell Activation Syndrome: Possible Vaccine-Triggered Escalation of Undiagnosed Pre-Existing Mast Cell Disease?” To learn more about Dr. Dempsey visit aimcentrepm.com.

* Additional reference:  Kobylewski S, Jacobson MF. Toxicology of food dyes. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2012 Jul-Sep;18(3):220-46. doi: 10.1179/1077352512Z.00000000034. PMID: 23026007.